


we were in screaming color

by rose_queen_of_hearts



Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Based on a Taylor Swift Song, Fluff, High School AU, M/M, Mutual Pining, Nico is a pessimist, No one dies though, Song: Out of the Woods (Taylor Swift), Soulmate AU, Soulmate AU - Colors, i am a sucker for soulmate au's, i originally wrote a sad version, pure fluff, she still hasn't forgiven me but that's not the point, then my friend didn't forgive me so i wrote this, will died in it, yes i am a swiftie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-17
Updated: 2021-03-17
Packaged: 2021-03-26 15:47:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,425
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30108309
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rose_queen_of_hearts/pseuds/rose_queen_of_hearts
Summary: A soulmate AU where you see black-and-white until you meet your soulmate.Nico doesn't think he's going to meet his soulmate when his friends force him to go to the high school dance, but things take a turn for the better.
Relationships: (Minor) Annabeth Chase/Percy Jackson, (mentioned) Hazel Levesque/Frank Zhang, Nico di Angelo/Will Solace
Comments: 4
Kudos: 39





	we were in screaming color

**Author's Note:**

> hello! this was written for my friend because i wrote a soulmate au like this abt a year ago. it *seemed* to have a happy ending but i timeskipped and decided to kill our beloved will, making nico's vision turn back to black and white.
> 
> yeah, she never forgave me for that. so! i offered to write this. and i did, in about two hours and she was satisfied (she didn't forgive me but that's okay). i loved writing this, and since my first writing my skill has improved considerably. i hope you enjoy!!
> 
> ALSO YES I AM A SWIFTIE I THOUGHT THE LYRIC "the rest of the world was black and white/but we were in screaming color" FROM 'OUT OF THE WOODS' REALLY FIT SO YAY

Hazel made Nico do it.

So did Jason. And Percy. Basically everyone he knew.

If Nico had the choice, he wouldn’t have attended this dumb high school dance in the first place. They’re overrated. The pizza sucks. (He’s Italian, he would know) The worst part is that most kids have found their soulmates already.

When you’re born, you only see in black-and-white. Not until you touch your soulmate do you see the colors that paint the world. Nico had heard many stories about how people have found their partner for life, some from online blogs or from his close friends. Hazel had met her soulmate Frank in middle school at the library. Percy met his girlfriend Annabeth at a martial arts class when he was twelve. (Annabeth had kicked Percy in the crotch, having the world promptly burst into color when they came in contact. It was Nico’s favorite story.)

Some people find their loves at very young ages, some at old age. Others go through their whole lives without ever finding them. Others find their soulmates, but then one of them dies.

If your soulmate dies, the world turns back to black-and-white.

Some people’s soulmates die before they even get to meet.

“What if my soulmate’s already dead? I’ve lived fifteen years without finding them. I’m never going to see color.” Nico told Hazel as he sat in the back of the car on the way to the dance.

Hazel frowned. “Now, Nico, don’t be such a pessimist. Think of things on the bright side. Who knows, they might go to this school!”

“Or they would be halfway across the world.”

Hazel exchanged glances with Frank, who was driving. “Oh, Nico,”

\----

“Yo, Neeks!”

Nico groaned, covering his face with his hands as Percy and Annabeth strolled up, hand in hand. “Don’t call me that, Percy.”

Annabeth lightly smacked Percy on the head, with the latter promptly yelping. “Percy has a knack for annoying people. That’s why I kicked him in the crotch all those years ago,” Annabeth said with a smirk.

“Yeah, and you’re _so_ disappointed that you had to see color because of me,” Percy countered.

Annabeth kissed him on the cheek. “Of course not, Seaweed Brain.”

Nico smirked, but it quickly got wiped away upon entering the packed gym.

Percy laid a hand on Nico’s shoulder. “Hey, Nico. Don’t worry about it. Who knows, maybe you’ll find your soulmate today.”

“You tell me that everyday,” Nico replied.

Percy pouted.

Nico rolled his eyes. “Fine, whatever.”

Percy departed with Annabeth. Nico shoved through the packed crowd to the snack table. He grabbed a grey cookie and a black drink (he skipped the pizza) and sat on a chair against the back wall of the gym. From here, he spotted Will Solace in the crowd. Nico’s face heated up. While soulmates were for certain, crushes weren't impossible. (Some people dated others while still seeing in black-and-white. It’s a little sad, meeting someone that you think you love but not end up soulmates.)

Nico then shook his head and ate his cookie. Will Solace probably already had a soulmate. But… there was no way of knowing. Nico only had one class with Will, and they were always seated across the room. Other than that, Will and Nico had no reason to cross paths. Nico had always looked forward to World History for the sole purpose that Will, the bubbly, social butterfly was present. Will was the kindest person he’d met. And he was cute.

Nico took a sip of the black drink and promptly spat it back into the cup. The drink had fizzed all over his tongue. It was Coke. He didn’t quite like that. He tossed it into the trash can beside him along with the cookie napkin.

“Hey, is this seat taken?”

Nico took a look up and sucked in a breath. It was Will Solace. _Oh gosh, he’s here. Right in front of me. He_ talked _to me. Oh no, he probably saw me spit out my drink. He must think I’m a slob._ “Uh- no, you can sip- sit- there,” Nico spluttered. Hazel had told him that when his face heats up, it turns to the color red. Will probably noticed this. Nico panicked.

“Great! Thanks,” Will plopped down on the chair next to Nico. “Why aren’t you on the dance floor?”

“I, uh, I wasn’t planning on being here,” Nico replied.

Will nodded. “My friends dragged me here today. They hoped that I could find my soulmate here.”

Nico jerked his head up and looked at Will, finding himself staring straight into the other boy’s eyes. “You- you haven’t found yours yet?”

Will didn’t break his gaze. “No, sadly.”

“But how? You’re like- you-” Nico broke his eyes away from Will’s and caught Jason’s eye across the room. Jason winked and nudged Percy, the latter looking over at Nico and wiggling his eyebrows.

Nico shot them a glare and turned back to Will. “-you’re like the most likeable person! Ever!”

Will smiled. _Wow_. “Thanks, Nico.”

“You know my name?” Nico blurted.

“Of course. You’re in my History class! You always win the review games and get the highest grades!”

Nico was surprised. Will, of all people, knew how well he did in that class. Nico felt strangely proud. “Heh, thanks, Will,”

Will beamed. It was beautiful. Will was about to place a hand on Nico’s shoulder when his friend, Cecil Markowitz, called out, “Will! Come here,”

Will dropped his hand and turned to Nico. “I’ll see you later, Nico,” He got up.

Will’s shoe got caught on the chair leg. He tripped...

… and landed on Nico’s lap.

Nico let out a loud gasp. He thought he was hallucinating.

The school gym shone with hues Nico had never seen before in his fifteen years of existence. There were the bright colors of the lights that danced around the room. The dark color of kids’ suits and dresses and shoes.

Nico grabbed Will from the ground and stood. He gasped again as he took in the beautiful sight of Will’s bright hair. Looking at the other boy’s face he was met with shining eyes, a color so captivating it ought to be illegal.

“Ni-Nico?” Will whispered.

“Will,” Nico breathed.

“I- you- We- I see _color_ ,” Will spluttered, his bright eyes darting around the room, no doubt trying to process all the new sights.

Nico nodded, a smile spreading across his face. He took a hand and cupped Will’s cheek. “Yeah,” Nico agreed. “Colors,”

“Hey, Will!” Cecil ran forward, his soulmate Lou Ellen in hand.

Will turned to his friends. He stopped, eyes widening. He grabbed the jacket Lou Ellen was wearing. “It- It’s not white!”

Nico laughed. Will sounded like a happy child playing with a dog for the first time.

“You- Oh my gosh, Will! Yeah, it’s not white!” Lou Ellen exclaimed.

“Yeah, dude, that’s yellow!” Cecil added. Nico noticed that the jacket was nearly the same color as Will’s hair. Oh, it was so beautiful.

“Your hair, Will, it’s-” Nico choked back a sob. He hadn’t realized he was crying. Happy tears. “Your hair is yellow,”

Cecil and Lou Ellen finally brought their eyes to Nico. They looked at each other, then Will, then Nico. “He’s your soulmate?”

Nico nodded happily, putting a hand to his mouth.

Will’s two friends started jumping up and down excitedly. “Will, we knew it! We told you!” They were both cheering. Will looked dazed and stunned. He slowly lifted a finger and pointed it to Nico and walked closer.

“Nico di Angelo, you have no idea how much idea I like you,” Will said.

Nico couldn’t smile wide enough. “You don’t know how much _I_ like _you_ , Will Solace.”

Will pulled Nico in and pressed his lips to Nico’s. That’s it. Nico felt like he was flying as he kissed Will back.

The kiss ended way sooner than Nico would have liked.

“Nico wh-” Percy had run up. He took in the sight before him. “Oh my gods, wait till I tell Jason,” he said, and ran off.

Not too long after that, Percy had arrived with Jason, Annabeth, Hazel, Frank, and his other friends Piper, Leo, and Reyna. They were all cheering, and Nico was stunned at the variety of colors his friends wore.

Hazel gave Nico a look as if to say, _I told you so._

The world was in screaming color. And as he ran his fingers through Will’s yellow hair, he knew he would never get tired of it.


End file.
